Thanks to the wonders of female biology, women have been dealing with periods, and all the “fun” symptoms that come along with them, for decades now. Some we’ve come to talk about openly and without any shame, like painful cramps or mood swings. Others we hold a bit more close to the vest (hellooooo, period diarrhea.) But there’s always a few weird period symptoms we dare not say aloud, for fear that they’re not actually normal after all. Apparently, that’s been the case for one pretty common issue women are suddenly talking about on TikTok. And chances are, you’ve secretly experienced it, too.
The subject was shared by TikToker Shantel Smith
The social media influencer (who you may also know from her run on CBS’s Survivor) has earned thousands of followers from her incredibly honest (and seriously hilarious) TikToks, which have often gone viral.
But none have swept the internet with quite as much speed as her post about the odd period symptom.
@shantelmsmiththe. worst. ##foryoupage ##fyp ##miley ##periodcramps ##onlywomenunderstand
In it, Smith discusses a common period symptom known as excruciating butthole pain
OK, so maybe that’s not the actual medical term for it, but if you asked most women to describe what it feels like, that’s probably what they’d say.
In the clip, Smith is folding a blanket while standing over her bed, when all of a sudden she drops to the ground and winces in pain.
Stabbing … shooting … butthole pain.
(Don’t act like you don’t know what we’re talking about here.)
As it turns out, a lot of women didn't know this was a thing
Not because they’d never experienced it, but because they had never actually talked about it before.
“OMG I thought I was the only one!” wrote one TikToker in the comments. “They are the worst when you get them on the toilet.
“WAIT OTHERS FEEL THAT TOO???” one woman asked. “Thought it was only me!”
“Thought I was the only one that experienced this,” yet another person wrote someone. “Now I feel a whole lot better!”
If we're getting technical, this "shooting butthole pain" does have an official name
According to Medical News Today, it’s known to doctors as proctalgia fugax — AKA fleeting anal pain or “anal cramps.”
While it can flare up out of nowhere during your period, it can typically last mere seconds — or as long as a few minutes. (And those minutes can feel like an eternityyyyy.)
Shantel Smith isn't the first woman to bring this to light
In fact, in April 2020, another TikToker by the name of @im.arin went viral for posting about this same phenomenon.
@im.arinLMFAOO this was funnier in my head #fyp #foryou #foryoupage
And earlier this year, yet another video by Jalyka Smith (@jalykasmith) got people talking about it, too.
@jalykasmithone of the funniest sounds for me #forgirlsonly
With each video, the news has continued to spread to more women — all of whom seem shocked that they are not alone in their monthly agony, after all.
After seeing Jalyka Smith’s TikTok, a UK-based surgeon actually jumped into the conversation too. And by making his own TikTok in response, Dr. Karan Raj wound up going viral too.
Luckily, Raj clears up a lot of the mystery surrounding the strange symptom
@dr.karanr#stitch with @jalykasmith b00ty cramps on your “.” #womenshealth #period #menstruation #schoolwithdrkaran #learnontiktok
“During your period, hormones called prostaglandins are released, which causes the muscles of the uterus to contract, causing the lining of the uterus to shed and it causes pain and cramps,” he explains in his TikTok. “Prostaglandins also cause contractions of the rectum and the pelvic floor muscles around the anal canal. These intense contractions can cause muscle spasms and anal cramps.”
In other words: Butt cramps may suck, but they’re totally normal. So the next time one sneaks up on you out of nowhere, just try to play it cool and know that you’re not alone.
(THANKS, MOTHER NATURE!)
